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is that you have to already be a part of the community, so that you know the proper tone to strike to get help. Otherwise, your chances of doing so cold, at a point when you're already frustrated, are pretty slim.

On the one hand, it makes perfect community sense: rite of passage, yada yada. On the other hand, it's pretty appalling behavior for anyone out of junior high.

Not sure what to think. I guess if the community is strengthened by driving off all but the most determined/thick-skinned newbies, it's a go

It's not you have to be part of a community it's that you have to help others to help you.

At no point did he do that, he didn't double check when he followed instructions (despite clearly not understanding either the instructions or the tools), he didn't give an example of what he was doing, failed to give any useful information, and made the fatal error of being certain that a presumably well tested and widely used piece of software is broken rather than something he did or bad input.

No, the response isn't reasonable - you don't have to respond in kind to rudeness, you also don't have to spend your time helping rude people, particularly if they are being stupid (beyond not knowing stuff, but failing to pay attention, provide useful information or in any way help them to help themselves).

But.. it's worth remembering that the guy joined an irc channel, was rude about the project, insinuated that everybody there had no social skills and was sarcastic and unhelpful when they tried to help h